Self-centering collapsible handle



Feb. 11, 1969 M. SZABO 3,426,384

SELF-CENTERING COLLAPSIBLE HANDLE Filed Oct. 24, 19s? IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Mam m4. MARTON .SZABO Willi/1111.524

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United States Patent 3,426,384 SELF-CENTERING COLLAPSIBLE HANDLE MartonSzabo, Broomall, Pa., assignor to Phiiadelphia Handle Company, Inc.,Camden, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Continuation-impart ofapplication Ser. No. 630,389, Apr. 12, 1967. This application Oct. 24,1967, Ser. No. 677,631 US Cl. 16-115 10 Claims Int. Cl. Eb 5/00; A45c13/10 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A handle for a carrying case, luggageand the like which is collapsible from a raised position above a well inthe case to a non-carrying position into the well including a handgripapproximating the size of the well, pivotally interconnected pairs ofupper and lower links, means pivoting the upper links to the handgrip,means pivotally securing the lower links in the well automatically intheir proper position, and means so limiting the extended position ofthe links wherein the handgrip is in its raised carrying position sothat when the handgrip is released it will return to its non-carryingposition and center itself in the well.

This is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No.630,389 filed Apr. 12, 1967.

This invention relates to a collapsible handle of the type which ismounted to collapse into a well in a carrying case when released toassume an esthetic non-carrying position and which can be raised so thatthe handgrip is above and outside the well to a carrying position byexertion of a push downwardly on one end of the handgrip and slippingthe hand under the handgrip to pull it up. The mounting means includesarticulated pairs of links which are pre-assembled with the handgrip andthe hinge brackets for attachment in the well. Because of this and thefact that the handgrip approximates the dimensions of the well, afterone hinge bracket is attached to the bottom of the well, the handgripblocks the view into the well and the second hinge bracket is difficultto attach in proper position.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a construction with aspecial mounting means which overcomes this disadvantage.

Another object is to provide a collapsible handle of the characterdescribed having means preventing the pairs of articulated links fromaligning with each other in their extended position when the handgrip israised, i.e. assuming an angle of 180 or more, so that when the handgripis released it will fall to the collapsed position automatically.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible handle ofthe character described in which the pairs of articulated links not onlyattain included angles between them of less than 180 when extended butalso include means to prevent the links pivoted to the case within thewell from attaining included angles of 90 or less so that the handle isself-centering when released in that the handgrip cannot shift to oneside or the other relative to the well.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible handle whichis relatively simple in construction, easy to assemble, attractive andsturdy.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent asthe following description proceeds in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

' FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the handle shown in itscollapsed non-carrying position;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a group sectional view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating theraised carrying position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view, some parts in section, of onepair of links shown in the fully extended position;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIG. 4.

Specific reference is now being made to the drawings wherein similarreference characters are used for corresponding elements throughout.

The carrying case 10, which is merely illustrative, has an upper wall12, a well 14 opening therethrough, and a lower wall 16. The handle hasa handgrip 18 rnolded or otherwise fabricated of a suitable plastic suchas high heat, high impact polystyrene and which approximates but issomewhat less in length and width than that of the well and is soconnected to the carrying case as will soon appear, that it collapsesinto the well with its upper surface lying substantially flush with thatof the upper wall 12 as shown in FIG. 1, and when it is in its raisedposition, the handgrip is spaced a suflicient distance above the wall 12as shown in FIG. 3 to permit the same to be gripped for carryingpurposes. The handgrip has a bottom surface 20 and recesses 22 adjacentits ends opening therethrough.

Adjacent the inner ends of the recesses the handgrip carries cross pins24 and 26 which pivotally mount the upper ends of upper links 28 and 30,the latter being preferably of channel construction and includelaterally spaced apertured ears 32 to journal the cross pins.

The lower ends of each of the upper links 28 and 30 are also formed withlaterally spaced cars 34 that are received between laterally spaced ears36 at the upper ends of the sides of lower channel links 38 and 40,there being lateral pins or rivets 42 and 44 which pivotally intercon:nect the upper links with the lower links respectively.

An elongated member 46 is provided in the form preferably of a chann lbar having side flanges 48 joined by a web 50 carrying staked-independing spaced screws 52 and 54. The lower or bottom wall 16 of thewell is provided with holes or apertures 56 and 58 spaced conformably tothe screws 52 and 54.

The lower end portions 60 of the side flanges of the lower links 38 and40 are apertured and are received between the side flanges 48 adjacentthe ends of the bar 46, there being double headed rivets 62 and 64carried by the side flanges 48 and extending through the aperturedportions 60 to serve as pivot pins. The lower edges of the lower endportions 60 of the lower links are angulated as at 66 for a purpose soonto appear. The distance be tween the pivot pins 62 and 64 preferablyapproximates that between pivot pins 24 and 26.

In use the handgrip 18, articulated links 28, 38 and 30, 40 and theelongated bar 46 are pro-assembled and, as shown in FIG. 3, the unit isdropped into the well 14. Since the dimensions of the handgripapproximates those of the well, with very little manipulation, theshanks of'the staked-in screws 52 and 54 will find and pass through theholes 56 and 58 in the bottom wall 16 and then closure nuts 68 and 70are readily screwed home completing the mounting. By pressing on one endof the handgrip, the other end will raise up and then the other hand canbe slipped under the grip to raise the same above the wall 12 and intothe carrying position shown in FIG. 3.

In the fully raised position of the handgrip, it will be seen that theupper and lower links do not align with each other but rather formangles A included between the 3 upper and lower links in each pair whichare less than 180, preferably 120". Thus when the handgrip is released,the links will automatically fold, the lower links 38 and 40 outwandlyand the upper links 28 and 30 inwardly over them, as shown in FIG. 2,the recesses 22 in the handgrip being dimensioned to confine the upperlinks in the final collapsed non-carrying position with the uppersurface 18 of the handgrip substantially flush with the wall 12,. Theless than 180 included angle A between the upper and lower links isattained because the upper free edge 72 of each lower link 38, 40 abutsthe lower free edge 74 of each upper link 28, 30 in the fully extendedposition of the links serving as a stop to prevent the links fromattaining an included angle A of 180 or more.

It will also be noted that in the fully raised position of the handgrip,the angulated free edges 66 at the lower end portions 60 of the lowerlinks 38 and 40 abut the web 50 of the mounting bar 44 so that the finalangle B included between each lower link and the bar exceeds 90. Thus,when released the handgrip cannot shift lengthwise relative to the welland is therefore self-centering as it collapses into the well to assumethe final non-carrying position shown in FIG. 1.

While a preferred embodiment has here been shown and described, it willbe understood that skilled artisans may make variations withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. For use with a carrying case having a well in one wall thereof, aself-centering, self-returning collapsible handle comprising anelongated handgrip whose length and width approximates that of said welland having upper and lower surfaces, and means to anchor said handgripin said well so that when released it will collapse into said well inits non-carrying position with its upper surface substantially flushwith said one wall in which said well is provided, said means includingpairs of upper and lower links, first means pivotally interconnectingeach pair of links, second means pivotally securing said upper links tosaid handgrip adjacent its ends, an elongated member, means securingsaid elongated member to the bottom surface of said well, meanspivotally securing the lower links to said elongated member adjacent itsends, and means limiting the included angle between each pair of linksso that it is less than 180 when said handgrip is raised to its carryingposition above said one wall in which said well is provided.

2. The combination of claim 1 and means limiting said lower links whenfully raised to included angles greater than 90 between said lower linksand said elongated member which is secured to the bottom surface of saidwell.

3. The combination of claim 1 and recesses in said handgrip openingthrough the lower surface thereof dimensioned to receive and confine atleast said upper links when said handgrip is collapsed and said linksfold over each other.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said last-named limiting meansincludes edges at the lower end of each upper link and at the upper endof each lower link which engage to provide an included angle of lessthan 180 when said links are fully extended and said handgrip is in itsraised carrying position.

5. The combination of claim 4 and means limiting said lower links whenfully raised to included angles greater than between said lower linksand said elongated member which is secured to the bottom surface of saidwell, said lower links limiting means including angulated surfaces atthe lower ends of said lower links adapted to engage said elongatedmember when said lower links are fully raised.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said elongated member includesscrews depending therefrom adjacent its ends and adapted to extend intopre-formed spaced holes through the bottom surface of said well.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the distance between the pivotpoints connecting said lower links to said elongated member approximatesthat between the pivot points connecting said upper links to saidhandgrip.

8. For use with a carrying case having a well in one wall thereof, acollapsible handle comprising an elongated handgrip and means to anchorsaid handgrip in said well so that the handgrip will enter said wellwhen the handle is collapsed into its non-carrying position, said meansincluding pairs of upper and lower links, first means pivotallyinterconnecting each pair of links, second means pivotally securing saidupper links to said handgrip, a rigid elongated member having threadedmembers depending therefrom adjacent its ends and adapted to extend intopre-formed spaced holes through the bottom surface of said well, andmeans pivotally securing the lower links to said elongated memberadjacent its ends.

9. The combination of claim 8, and means limiting the included anglebetween each pair of links so that it is less than when said handgrip israised to its carrying position above said one wall in which said wellis provided.

107 The combination of claim 8 wherein the distance between the pivotpoints connecting said lower links to said elongated member approximatesthat between the pivot points connecting said upper links to saidhandgrip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1924 La Rue 161l5 1/1967 Bushl90-58 U.S. Cl. X.R. 5 8

